Acts of War
by GreenBinderGirl
Summary: They have won the war, but lost the battle. Character death. Suicide.


**Quick Author's Notes:** Okay, just a forewarning: this is really dark and angsty. Talk of death resides in here. I figured that if Aang and Ozai ever fight, they aren't going to just keep it to themselves. It'd be _huge_, man, really huge. I started out wanting to make this a Tophaang fic of Aang showing Toph the Southern Air Temple, but then it turned into this morbid thing. Probably one of the darkest things that I ever wrote. I tried to keep them in character. Tell me what you think. If you loved it then, thank you! If you hated it then, fuck you! Sorry, Lady Sovereign moment -.-

**Acts of War**

"I used to live here," Aang said softly. "This is where I grew up."

They were at the Southern Air Temple. During the great battle between Fire Lord Ozai, Ty Lee, Azula and Mai, the temple had been destroyed. It was nothing but rubble now. Large slabs of carved stone lay in great heaps. Littering amongst the ruins were bodies of innocent people who were killed in the battle, by both Aang and Ozai.

Toph walked up to him. "It seems like a nice place," she said.

"It was," Aang replied. "I remember everything that happened here. I remember when I first got Appa." Aang closed his eyes and smiled. "He jumped on me immediately, and I knew we would be good friends to the end. He was smaller than me back then."

Toph slowly sat down on her knees and felt the worn, cracked stone with her palm. "Sounds like a good life."

"Yeah." The Avatar sat down next to her.

"My caretaker was a monk named Gyatso. He was the greatest Airbender ever. He taught me all that I know about Airbending and life in general. He was a really great man."

"What happened to him, Aang?"

"He was killed defending his home. A long time ago Fire Nation soldiers discovered this Air Temple during their mission to murder every Airbender. I saw his skeleton, still wearing his robes. Still protecting. Still waiting."

"Still waiting for the world to be saved," Toph finished. Aang nodded.

"Still waiting for the world to be saved by me."

Toph looked up and gazed blankly into space. Tears gathered at her pale green eyes. She looked down and gripped the bright green fabric of her ripped pants. "I wish we could have saved them."

Aang knew who she was talking about when she said "them". Katara and Sokka.

"Me too. I wish we could have saved all of them. All of these people that were killed. That _I_ killed."

"It wasn't your fault," Toph said. "You had to kill those people. You didn't have a choice."

"Yes I did!" Aang stood up angrily and kicked a small piece of marble. "I did have a choice! I could have stopped him! I could have stopped him from destroying the temple and all the refugees who lived here! I…" he trailed off and clenched his fists, angry tears sprouting from his eyes. "I could have saved them…"

"No you couldn't," Toph said stubbornly. "You know that you couldn't. You knew that you only had one choice. You knew what you had to do."

"I should have died," Aang said quietly.

Toph grabbed the back of his high collar, whipping him around so that he faced her. "No, Aang! Don't talk that way! You did everything you could! You _did_ almost die!"

"Katara and Sokka are dead because of me!" Aang shouted.

"It was their choice! They chose to help you fight, just like I did! We all did! They knew that they would die eventually, and they wanted to die defending the world. They died a hero's death."

"That isn't good enough. I was so stupid, I should have stopped them…" Silver tears slipped down his face. Aang dropped to his knees and pulled his knees up to his chest, pressing tightly.

Toph narrowed her eyes and sat down before him. She gave a small sigh. "Aang. Listen to me."

"What?" The Airbending master's voice was muffled by his sobs.

"There was nothing you could do."

With that, Toph turned and walked away. Her footsteps were quick, light and quiet, but Aang knew she was leaving. Months of training with Toph had shaped his senses so that he could feel even the slightest vibration from the softest footstep.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from here."

She kept on walking without looking back.

Aang stayed in that position for a long time. When he finally looked up, it was nightfall. Toph wasn't there. His legs were cramped and he hesitantly stood up.

The sky was black and sprinkled with silvery stars. Aang smiled softly. The moon was large, full and bright. "Sokka," he whispered, "you are with Yue now."

He walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. The dark waves off the ocean lapped softly against the jagged rocks, making a pleasing _swish_ sound. "Katara," he whispered, "you are with your mother and father now."

A single tear slid down his face. "I hope…you are happy in the afterlife. I will see you soon."

And he fell off the cliff, smiling.

Toph heard the splash from the other side of the mountain. She picked at a blade of grass and ran a hand through her tangled black hair. "Aang, you idiot," she muttered, "why can't you understand that none of this was your fault?"

She threw the grass blade down and turned on her heel.


End file.
